Professional Development

Making Decisions at Work: When Going Solo Makes Sense

When it comes to making decisions at work, a lot can be said for group decision making. We recently introduced a boss who wanted to tackle all decisions on his own but learned the value of successful group decision making. Yet, as with most things in life, a balance between two approaches may be best. In this article, we’ll discuss why solo decision making may be better and when it can prove necessary. For all the good in group decisions at work—supporting collaboration, encouraging engagement, showing respect for employees, helping their professional development—the processes still need proper management. We shared several techniques that can facilitate better outcomes, recognizing that flawed group decision-making can lead to pitfalls such as: Ineffective prioritization of tasks, leading to procrastination and project failure Avoidance of responsibility as accountability is spread out over an entire group Difficulty focusing on the big picture, which leads to inefficiency and missed deadlines Group stasis and failure to reach consensus due to conflict avoidance or groupthink This leads us to the advantages of someone stepping up to take full ownership of a decision at work. Benefits of a single decision maker By soliciting the opinions of others, you can get overwhelmed with information and opinions. Sometimes, it just makes sense to make a decision on your own. Solo decision-making can: Help you stick to data and avoid social influence Provide clear accountability for the decision Avoid the loudest voice in the group always getting their way (unless, of course, you’re […]